


Ghost Ship

by whisperedstory



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Captain Jensen Ackles, Don't copy to another site, First Time, Ghosts, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 15:09:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18478774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisperedstory/pseuds/whisperedstory
Summary: The first time Jared sees the ship, it's a foggy night.





	Ghost Ship

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [amberdreams](https://amberdreams.livejournal.com/)'s prompt "To the lighthouse". I couldn't decide between two prompts and wrote two fics, so this one was posted as an general gift for everyone. 
> 
> Beta'd by [@Magdalena5880](https://twitter.com/Magdalena5880).

The first time Jared sees the ship, it's a foggy night.

He's walking home from a shift at the diner, taking a detour in hopes that by the time he will get home his dad will already be asleep and he can sneak into his room without having to see him. It's late enough and the weather is crappy enough that the streets in their little seaside town are deserted.

Jared wraps his jacket more tightly around himself and strolls towards the cliffs at the edge of town—they're not exactly on the way home, but there's a little path that leads east from the lighthouse and loops back towards the town to where his house is.

The fog is getting thicker, piling up in soft, thick waves over the water, and he thinks about turning around more than once. But the lighthouse, with the light barely visible now, beckons him to keep going. He's almost reached the stone tower when he sees it – the outline of a ship on the water. It looks huge, way too close to the cliffs to be safe. When Jared squints he thinks he can make out masts with their sails set.

And then it fades, as if the fog swallowed it right up. 

*

The second time Jared sees the ship, it's stormy but this time there's no fog and it's still early enough for some remaining murky daylight. Jared is sitting outside the lighthouse, munching a sandwich he bought at the small café across from the diner. The ground is too cold to be sat on, but it's better than Jared's other options. And at least everyone leaves him alone out here. 

It's become Jared's hide-out spot on the last few years. Jim, who not only runs the general store but also takes care of the lighthouse's maintenance, sometimes lets him hang out inside the lighthouse when he's around. It’s lonely, but it’s peaceful and it’s an escape.

He's just finishing the last bite of his dinner when he sees the ship and blinks at the sight. It's not _close_ , but it's close enough that he should have noticed it sooner and it's getting closer quickly. Too quickly. 

It could be an entirely different ship, but something tells Jared it's not. Three masts with big sails billowing in the wind, the dark wood of the ship looking old but not weathered. It glides silently through the water, like it's flying instead of sailing, and it's not until it's too damn close that it suddenly changes its course and Jared can make out the name written on it in big, golden letters.

" _The Defiance_." Jared murmurs, his eyes roaming over ship until his gaze stops at the ship's bow. There's a person standing on deck and Jared is convinced they're looking right back at him. 

The ship keeps moving. Faster than a ship this size should.

And then it _fades_.

*

"Did you see that ship yesterday?" Jared asks, glancing at Jim, who is sitting next to him at the counter in the diner, reading a newspaper.

"What ship?" Jim asks.

Jared swallows nervously and licks his lips. "Big ass barque. It looked really old." he says and sneaks a glance at Jim.

"Jared, we only get small sailboats and trawlers out here." Jim snorts. 

"I swear I saw it." Jared insists. "Right by the cliffs near the lighthouse. It just popped up out of nowhere."

"Popped up out of nowhere." Jim repeats and grins. "Where you smoking something, kid?"

"No!" Jared argues. "I saw it the other night as well. When the fog was real bad."

"You shouldn't have been out there in that kinda weather." Jim says and then lowers his voice, "Are things bad at home again?"

"Things are always bad at home." Jared mutters.

Jim sighs. "I don't know why you don't just leave, Jared." he says.

Jared shrugs. "It's complicated." he says, and Jim sighs again. And then shifts and pulls his keys out of the pocket of his jeans, fiddling with them, and then twisting one key off the chain. He slides it across the counter to Jared.

"What is that?" Jared asks.

"A spare key to the lighthouse." Jim says giving him a small smile. "Figured sooner or later I'll retire anyway, and there's nobody but you who'd want to take over my job. So you might as well already get a key now."

*

Working at the diner, Jared always knows all of the gossip, is always up to date with everything that happens in town. Over the next few days not one single person mentions the big barque he saw.

*

The third time he sees _The Defiance_ , Jared is standing as close to the edge of the cliff as he dares, wind howling in circles around him.

"This is insane!" he says to himself, staring at the person on deck. It’s a man in a white, billowing shirt, wearing a tricorn, and just as the first drops of rain fall from the sky, he lifts his hand in greeting.

*

Another night finds Jared back at the lighthouse, but this time he goes inside. He sits by one of the windows overlooking the sea.

"Come on." he mutters and rests his hand on the leather-bound book of his town's history, which he found in the library the day before.

Jared takes an unsteady breath and closes his eyes. "I know you're real." he whispers. "I know I saw you."

"Well, I've been told I'm hard to forget."

Jared jumps up and whirls around, eyes wide. The man standing on the other side of the little round room looks just like he did in the picture Jared found—down to the white cotton shirt, the knee high leather boots, and tricorn. Captain Jensen Ackles, whose ship, _The Defiance_ , collided with the cliffs in the bay on a stormy night probably not unlike tonight, only back in 1793. When it sank, the entire crew drowned, and a few months later, the first lighthouse was built at the shore.

Jared takes a step back, stumbling a little.

"Don't be scared Jared."

Jared's hand finds the book again, curling around the thick spine. "You're Captain Jensen Ackles." he whispers. "Holy fuck. This is actually real."

"Jensen," is the reply. "Please just call me Jensen."

"Jensen." Jared echoes stupidly, and he gets a soft, warm smile in return. "How are you here? How are you even real?"

Amusement colors Jensen’s gentle smile. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're dead."

"Ah." Jensen says and takes a couple of steps further into the room. There's something about him, like the air is charged and buzzes with something that doesn't feel quite right. Quite human. "And why would that make me any less real than you? Death isn't the end."

Jared sinks back down onto the chair he was sitting in earlier, facing the room instead of the window this time. 

"I understand, Jared." Jensen continues, his voice quiet. "I thought it would be, too. When the ship sank, I thought that was it. But it wasn't. I felt more alive afterwards than I ever had before. I feel _free_."

Jared's heart squeezes at the words. Freedom. He's been stuck in this town all his life. All he has to his name is a highschool diploma and a few dollars, and with each passing day he's starting to feel more and more smothered. 

"Aren't you tied to something?" he asks. "A place or something that belonged to you? Isn't that how it’s supposed to work?"

"The sea." Jensen says. "I lived for the sea and I died in the sea and that's what I'll always be bound to."

"Then how are you in here?"

Jensen looks to his left and his eyes settle on the old display cabinet next to the shabby-looking desk. "The compass." he says. "It was mine."

Jared looks towards the compass, barely able to see it from where he's sitting. He knows what it looks like though, has seen it countless times, and never given it much thought. He rubs a hand over his knee, where his jeans are starting to fray and rip. "And _why_ are you here?" he asks in a quiet voice.

Jensen takes two more steps forward, until he's right in front of Jared, and crouches down to see his face. He settles one hand on Jared's knee and cups Jared's cheek with the other. His hand feels cool, but not freezing like Jared expected. It feels human. "For you, sweetheart." Jensen says.

Jared's breathing stops.

And then sound of the heavy metal door downstairs falling shut echoes through the lighthouse. 

Jensen gives Jared a small smile. "I have to go." he murmurs as he leans in and brushes his mouth over Jared's in the gentlest of kisses.

"Wait!" Jared starts, but Jensen flickers and vanishes.

*

The fog is back three days later, so thick it envelops everything in a soupy white. Jared can barely see the path in front of him as he trudges towards the lighthouse, glad he knows the way by heart.

His clothes are clammy, sticking to his skin by the time he gets there. Jared lights an oil lamp and pulls out the sleeping bag he stored in one of the old cabinets the day after Jim gave him the key. He wraps it around himself before sitting down and looking out the window. There's nothing there but fog. Jared shivers and stares outside anyway, praying Jensen will come back. 

"Come on." he murmurs, and silently adds a _please_. 

"I'm right here, sweetheart."

Jared jumps, startled like he was last time, but he's smiling wide as he turns his head and finds Jensen there.

He moves through the room, steps light and graceful, and kneels down by Jared's side. He cups Jared's face with both hands, tilting it towards him, and when he brushes a thumb gently over Jared's cheekbone, the bruise there hurts enough to make Jared flinch.

"Jared." Jensen murmurs.

"It's nothing." Jared sighs. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You don't have to live like this Jared." Jensen says quietly. Sadly. "You can be free too. You can leave all of this behind."

"Jensen." Jared sighs and leans into him. One of Jensen's hands slides around him, fingers slipping into his hair, bringing their mouths together. It's like no kiss Jared has ever experienced, the air around them electric with something Jared can't quite put his finger on.

"Stay." he mumbles when Jensen starts to pull away. "Just—just for a little bit. Please stay."

Jensen makes a quiet noise, almost pained, and kisses Jared again. He nudges Jared back to lie on floor, the sleeping bag forgotten and twisted underneath, and follows him down. Hands start tugging at clothes—both his and Jensen's—and Jensen settles between Jared's spread legs once they're finally naked. Jared moans and Jensen grinds down against him, rubbing their hard cocks against each other, and mouths at Jared's jaw.

"Please." Jared pants. "Make me forget. Make me forget everything. Everyone."

_Everyone who has ever touched me. Good or bad_ , he adds silently. 

"Jared." Jensen murmurs and ducks his head down lower, nuzzles Jared's neck, kisses his collarbone. He slides a hand between Jared's legs, slips it back. His fingers are wet with something slick and thick, and Jared cries out as Jensen sinks one into him while closing his mouth around his right nipple. 

He gently works Jared open, kisses and soothes Jared through it, and then nudges him onto his side. He slides behind him, presses close, and his cock slips between Jared's cheeks, the head catching against his hole. He sinks into Jared slowly, slides in smoothly until he’s buried all the way, the burn and pleasure of it making Jared's breath catch on a whimper.

"Jared. Sweetheart." Jensen whispers into Jared's ear. He pulls out and curls his arm around Jared's waist, pulling him backwards as he thrusts back in. Jared moans loudly and tips back his head, allowing Jensen to duck his face down into the crook of Jared's neck, lips pressed to his pulse point. He pushes back into Jared with another roll of his hips. Over and over. Not stopping until Jared is writhing against him, pleasure burning him up from the inside. 

"Look. _Look_." Jensen says, and there's an urgency to his voice as he fucks into Jared. His hand slides down Jared's stomach, curls around his cock. Jared wasn't aware his eyes were closed, but he opens them now, his vision blurry. The fog has lifted and there, in the water outside of the lighthouse _The Defiance_ is floating silently in the water.

"Jensen!" he gasps. 

Jensen thrusts deep into him and moves his hand. "I've waited for you for so long." he whispers. 

Jared comes with a silent cry.

*

The last time Jared goes to the lighthouse, he puts a letter addressed to Jim on the desk and places the key on top of it. Then he heads for the beach.

It was sunny earlier today, but now thick dark clouds are rolling in, wind howling around him and the rain coming down so hard it stings his skin.

Jared sits down on the sand, shivering, and stares out at the water. It's only when he sees the shape of a big ship appearing on the water that he feels something inside him unravel and break free.

He stands up and heads for the shore without looking back. The water is freezing cold, but Jared doesn't stop. Step after step, he moves deeper into the sea, until he can barely feel his limbs and waves are crashing over him. 

Jared's never been a good swimmer, but he fights against the waves to keep moving. He coughs, swallowing water and gasping for air. Panic starts to bubble up inside him, but he ignore it, chest burning and vision blurry. The next wave drags him under, tossing him around like a rag doll, and he feels his body sink and sink. 

Everything goes black. 

And then a strong hand wraps around his wrist, the touch warm and comforting, and pulls him upward.

He surfaces and feels arms circle him, press him close against a strong, wide chest. 

"Grab the ladder." Jensen says, and Jared realizes they're right in front of the ship, a long rope ladder dangling down. 

Jared reaches for it, grabs it, and pulls himself up. Jensen stays right behind him, following up.

There are other people on deck, looking at him warmly, but Jared ignores all of them as he turns into Jensen and lets himself be pulled close into his embrace. His eyes, though, seek out the water and he sees the limp body floating there, bobbing among the waves, before one finally pulls it under. 

Jensen frames his cheeks with his hands, gently nudges Jared's face around to look at him. He smiles.

"Welcome home, sweetheart." he murmurs. 


End file.
